We’ve been expecting the discovery of WNS in Georgia after it was confirmed in Tennessee and Alabama counties last season. Still, I don’t think anyone can prepare themselves to see it for the first time. Trina Morris, Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Biologist

In response to the threat of WNS, Georgia DNR’s ’s Wildlife Resources Division has developed a White-nose Syndrome Response Plan that outlines steps for raising awareness about white-nose syndrome, preventing or slowing its spread, reporting and analyzing bats, and managing related natural resources such as caves.

Now that WNS has been confirmed in the state, Georgia DNR is now urging cavers to reduce trips to Georgia’s caves and to be sure to follow all decontamination protocols.

Approximately 15 percent of Georgia’s caves are on state-managed lands.

Although Georgia has few known large hibernacula, the known hibernacula, including Sittons Cave, are currently closed in the winter to prevent disturbance to the hibernating bats. Meanwhile the National Park Service, which closed all caves at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park in 2009 in an attempt to slow the advance of WNS, will continue to keep them closed to try and reduce the risk of spreading the disease to other areas.

So far, the National Park Service has reported no evidence of mass mortality in bats at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park and only about six dead bats were found at Sittons Cave. It was estimated that about one-third of the 1,600 or so live bats counted in the cave were showing visible signs of WNS.